Muddy Chicken Run!

[Maddie106]

With the recent rain, my 3 chooks have turned their outside run into a bog.(they ate all the grass in it long ago!)

I'm worried that they could develop foot problems with wading about in the mud?

I keep putting straw/sawdust down in the outside run to soak up the water and keep inspecting their feet. Apart from muddy eggs, they seem ok so far.
They STILL parade around in the rain (looking very bedraggled!), even tho they have a covered run, out of the rain with food and water!

Am I just being paranoid?

[MaureenHall]

Short answer about the paranoia? Yes, 'fraid so Mine were paddling in puddles for weeks and came to no harm from the mud. I did keep chucking Easibed and wood shavings on the worst bits to soak up the water but they still seemed drawn to the worst bits. It's not funny going to lock them in at night slipping and sliding all over the place is it!! I think the main problem could be for chooks with feathery feet/legs, they'd get clogged up and could turn into a sort of ball & chain!

Some people have put slabs down in the run with deep litter on top of them so they've got something to scratch around in. Others have used gravel, pallets, wood chips etc. Wood chip isn't recommended because it gets mouldy and can affect the chooks breathing. I'm just playing it by ear with the new girls, soak up what I can and leave the rest.

[lynda66]

mine has gone proper muddy for the first time since i had the chooks too ... incredibly squelchy ... fine till they want a muddy cuddle .... i just have about a third of the run paved .... the rest mud .... but they have plenty of perches so they arent standing in it constantly unless they want to .... mind you my girls don't like rain ... at the first sign... they leg it back to the house and spend the rest of the time sticking heads out to check ..... they really don't mind the mud at all though

and they do spend most of their day out in the garden ... or in the house saying hello, and wondering when i'm gonna go and feed them stuff

[Suechooks]

I put down Pallet tops in the areas that become muddiest and then put wood chippings (from tree surgeon) on top. This has the advantage of being able to lift them to clean and replace as often as needed. A couple of tyres and logs for roosting on and all is clean and dry.

[frias]

I use Stalosan F followed by Hemcore and the run stays lovely and dry. I understand Hemcore is no longer available though so will probably go for easybed next time.

[MaureenHall]

I'm stocking up on Hemcore, my local supplier has (had) quite a lot

[bluemoon]

We've been using Aubious, which the feed merchant says is the same as Hemcore. What is Easybed? Is it similar or something totally different? I know he stocks that too and the bales looked bigger.

[MaureenHall]

Easibed is like very fine wood chippings, really absorbent and good stuff. I chucked loads of it down in the winter when the run was covered in snow - didn't want the chooks to get frostbite on their toes

[Flummery]

] Wood chip isn't recommended because it gets mouldy and can affect the chooks breathing.

Wood chip is fine Mo - it's bark that's supposed to have the spores in that cause breathing problems (certainly smells like it when I use it for my paths - won't have to do that again!)

[bluemoon]

Easibed is like very fine wood chippings, really absorbent and good stuff. I chucked loads of it down in the winter when the run was covered in snow - didn't want the chooks to get frostbite on their toes

Sounds the same as the Aubiose then, which looks like tiny matchsticks, but is apparently the waste from the hemp (as in rope and oil making ) industry. Aubiose is made in France though, if the Eastbed is made here then it will save some transportation miles.... though I bet it isn't any cheaper.

[MaureenHall]

Wood chip is fine Mo - it's bark that's supposed to have the spores in that cause breathing problems (certainly smells like it when I use it for my paths - won't have to do that again!)

Whooops, yes, it's these new chooks making me have too many senior moments

[lettucegrow!]

What happened to Hemcore ,then? It'll be a shame if we can't get it anymore.I find it really useful.

[Suechooks]

What happened to Hemcore ,then? It'll be a shame if we can't get it anymore.I find it really useful.

Someone said a few weeks ago that the company who makes it has gone bust. It's not available in my agric merchants anymore.

[bluemoon]

Back on the subject of woodchip. I've seen some stuff in B&Q that's called woodchip, but has been dyed in various colours. Is this the same thing? I considered covering our run in it when the grass is all gone - probably Tuesday , but didn't know if the dye would leech out onto the chickens' feet and feathers. As Lancre is painted jade green and lilac and Graceland is yellow and turquoise I had an idea that I could match the run floors to the chicken houses . There's also rubber chips you can buy (not from B&Q though) which are made out of old tyres and which are said to be good for chicken runs as they don't rot or blow away, has anyone tried these?

[Suechooks]

Have seen the rubber stuff advertised but not tried it. Looks to be very expensive (I have £17 a square metre in my mind but could be wrong)and unless you can use a hose pipe (not available on my lottie site) it would be hard work washing it down.
Personally I'd avoid anything with dye in it just in case it affected the chooks - would look fab though!!